Representatives of Swiss sporting federations voted 145-121 to support Bern rather than a rival bid by the eastern Alpine resort of Davos, which was backed by executives of the Swiss Olympic Committee.

The Bern candidacy foresees events taking place in nine venues in central and western Switzerland, including the ski resorts of Crans-Montana, St. Moritz and Gstaad as well as the lakeside cities of Montreux and Lausanne.

The Swiss have bid unsuccessfully for the Winter Games three times in recent years. In 1999, the southern resort of Sion was beaten by Turin, Italy, for the 2006 Games, even though the International Olympic Committee had rated the Swiss bid as technically superior.

The IOC will choose the host for the 2010 Games in summer 2003. An Austrian bid based around the resorts of Salzburg and Kitzbuehel is expected, as well as a bid from Vancouver, which hopes to succeed after Toronto lost the 2008 Summer Olympics.